U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel invoked the “Pay Our Military Act” this weekend, authorizing the Defense Department to bring back most of its civilian employees.
That’s good news for the approximately 350,000 civilian employees, including about 1,400 Sikorsky workers, who will avoid furloughs with its authorization.
Sikorsky Aircraft is part of United Technologies Corp., which said it may furlough up to 5,000 employees, including about 2,000 at Pratt & Whitney and UTC Aerospace Systems, if the shutdown drags into November.
U.S. Rep. John B. Larson, whose district includes Pratt & Whitney, said Sunday that the decision came after the delegation intervened and took its complaints to the Defense Department.